On this day... Trevor Francis became the first £1m footballer

On this day in 1979, Trevor Francis wrote back and front page headlines when he became the first £1 million footballer.

Francis joined Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City on February 9 and would go on to score the winning goal for Brian Clough’s Reds in the final of the European Cup just months later.

Here he recalls signing for Forest at the City Ground...

He said: “I went along to the City Ground and I was quite suprised that, on the biggest day of my life, all the media were waiting outside.

“Journalists, TV crews, photographers all waiting for my arrival - waiting for Brian’s arrival - I was on time, he was an hour late. He was across the road at Trent Bridge playing squash with (Gary) Birtles.

“I didn’t quite realise the importance of becoming the first million-pound footballer. I remember that Friday it made headlines on the national news and the following morning it was across the back, and the front, of most newspapers.

“I became the million pound man. And still to this day, how long has it been? Thirty-odd years on. Still, whenever I go to a social function I’m always introduced as the first million-pound footballer.”